Illinois Fall Trout Fishing Season Begins on Oct. 15
OutdoorHub 09.20.11
Springfield, ILL. – The 2011 Illinois fall trout fishing season opens on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 37 ponds and lakes throughout the state, Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Director Marc Miller announced today.
“Fishing is a great family activity and the fall trout season is a great opportunity to take the kids fishing,” Miller said. “Fall is a great time to spend time outdoors, and we want to encourage youth, families and experienced anglers to participate in the fall catchable trout season.”
More than 70,000 trout are stocked by IDNR at the locations listed below just prior to the opening of the fall trout season. Anglers are reminded that no trout may be taken from any of the stocked sites from Oct. 1 until the fall trout season opens on Oct. 15 at 5 a.m.
To take trout legally beginning Oct. 15, anglers must have a fishing license and an inland trout stamp, unless they are under the age of 16, blind or disabled, or are an Illinois resident on leave from active duty in the Armed Forces. The daily catch limit for each angler is five trout.
Anglers are reminded to check the opening time of their favorite trout fishing location if they plan to go fishing on opening day. While regulations allow trout season to open at 5 a.m. on Oct. 15, not all locations are open that early.
For more information on fall trout season and other Illinois fishing opportunities, check the web site at www.ifishillinois.org.
Illinois fishing licenses and inland trout stamps are available at DNR Direct license and permit locations, including many bait shops, sporting goods stores and other retail outlets. Fishing licenses and trout stamps can also be purchased by using a credit card through DNR Direct online via the IDNR website at www.dnr.illinois.gov or by calling DNR Direct toll-free at 1-888-6PERMIT (1-888-673-7648).
Anglers in northwest Illinois are advised that the catchable trout program operated previously at the Coleta Trout Ponds has been relocated due to significant weed problems and public safety concerns due to infrastructure problems at the Coleta ponds. Thanks to the cooperation of the Coloma Township Park District in Rock Falls, trout fishing conducted previously at the Coleta ponds has been moved to Centennial Park Lake in Rock Falls.
For more information about all site regulations, anglers should contact individual sites that will be stocked with catchable-size trout. The 37 locations are:
- Adams County: Siloam Springs State Park, 217/894-6205
- Bond County: Greenville Old City Lake (Patriot’s Park Lake), 618/664-2330
- Bureau County: Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park, 815/454-2328
- Christian County: Manners Park Pond in Taylorville, 217/824-3110
- Coles County: Campus Pond at Eastern Illinois University, 217/345-2420
- Cook County: Axehead Lake – Cook County Forest Preserve District, 847/294-4134
- Cook County: Belleau Lake – Cook County Forest Preserve District, 847/294-4134
- Crawford County: Crawford County Conservation Area Pond, 618/563-4405
- Douglas County: Villa Grove West Lake, 217/345-2420
- Jefferson County: Mount Vernon Game Farm Pond, 618/547-3610
- Johnson County: Ferne Clyffe State Park, 618/995-2411
- Kankakee County: Bird Park Quarry in Kankakee, 815/939-1311
- Kendall County: Big Lake at Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife Area, 630/553-6297
- Lake County: Banana Lake – Lake County Forest Preserve, 815/675-2319
- Lake County: Sand Lake at Illinois Beach State Park North Unit, 847/662-4828
- Macon County: Rock Springs Pond – Macon County Conservation District, 217/423-7708
- Macoupin County: Beaver Dam Lake at Beaver Dam State Park, 217/854-8020
- Madison County: Highland Old City Lake, 618/651-1386
- Marion County: Boston Pond at Stephen A. Forbes State Recreation Area, 618/547-3381
- Massac County: Fairgrounds Pond at Fort Massac State Park in Metropolis, 618/524-4712
- McDonough County: Argyle Lake at Argyle Lake State Park, 309/776-3422
- Randolph County: Randolph County State Fish and Wildlife Area Lake, 618/826-2706
- Randolph County: Derby Lake at World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta, 618/295-2700
- Rock Island County: Prospect Park Pond in Moline, 815/454-2759
- St. Clair County: Frank Holten State Recreation Area Lake, 618/874-7920
- St. Clair County: Jones Park Lake in East St. Louis, 618/847-7920
- St. Clair County: Willow Lake at Peabody River King State Fish and Wildlife Area, 618/785-2555
- Saline County: Jones Lake Trout Pond at Saline County State Fish and Wildlife Area, 618/276-4405
- Sangamon County: IDOT Lake in Springfield, 309/543-3316
- Sangamon County: Washington Park Pond in Springfield, 309/543-3316
- Shelby County: Forest Park Lagoon in Shelbyville, 217/345-2420
- Tazewell County: Mineral Springs Park Lagoon in Pekin, 309/968-7568
- Vermilion County: Clear Lake at Kickapoo State Recreation Area, 217/442-4915
- Wabash County: Beall Woods Lake at Beall Woods State Park, 618/298-2442
- Warren County: Citizen’s Lake in Monmouth, 309/344-2617
- Wayne County: Sam Dale Trout Pond at Sam Dale Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area, 618/835-2292
- Whiteside County: Centennial Park Lake in Rock Falls, Coloma Park District, 815/625-0272 (New Location for Fall 2011)
